A Dictionary of English Folklore

by Jacqueline Simpson, Steve Roud

Overview

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. An engrossing guide to English folklore and traditions, with over 1,250 entries. Folklore is connected to virtually every aspect of life, part of the country, age group, and occupation. From the bizarre to the seemingly mundane, it is as much a feature of the modern technological age as of the ancient world. BL Oral and Performance genres-Cheese rolling, Morris dancing, Well-dressingEL BL Superstitions-Charms, Rainbows, WishbonesEL BL Characters-Cinderella, Father Christmas, Robin Hood, Dick WhittingtonEL BL Supernatural Beliefs-Devil's hoofprints, Fairy rings, Frog showersEL BL Calendar Customs-April Fool's Day, Helston Furry Day, Valentine's DayEL

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191578526
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	10/09/2003
Series:	The Oxford Reference Collection
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Dr Jacqueline Simpson was president of the Folklore Society from 1993 to 1996, editor of Folklore from 1979 to 1993, and is currently Honorary Secretary of the Folklore Society. Her publications include Folklore of Sussex, Folklore of the Welsh Borders, and Scandinavian Folktales. Steve Roud is Local Studies Librarian for Croydon and was Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society for over 15 years. He is the author of Mumming Plays in Oxfordshire and has compiled the Index to the Journal Folklore 1968-1992.

Table of Contents

Entries include: adders, astrology; brownies; changelings; Devil's Hoofprints; football; Grimm brothers; Hag-riding; Jenny Greenteeth; ladybirds; Mr Fox; nosebleeds; Phantom coach/ship; Rollright Stones; Seven Whistlers; Tooth fairy; V-sign; wishbone.

Editorial Reviews

Containing more than 1200 alphabetically arranged entries, this folklore dictionary spans familiar beliefs, from the earliest cultural traditions to more familiar subjects, such as Mother Goose. The authors, esteemed British folklore experts with many publications to their credit, include a broad range of oral genres, calendar customs, festivals, life-cycle customs, and supernatural and superstitious beliefs. Everyday lore is fully explored, from the Tooth Fairy and Godiva to the modern tales of wonderment such as "The Vanishing Hitchhiker." Fairies, mermaids, hobgoblins, and changelings are examples of the supernatural forces surveyed. The historical foundations of folk cures and old wives' tales, as well as classic legendary characters (e.g., Robin Hood) are identified and traced. Other topics include festivals, past and present, that are celebrated throughout English literature, as well as children's games, "fakelore," cross-dressing, mumming, and more. All are provided with dependable information and references, and the many See and See Also citations add considerably to the book's richness as a reference source. The one drawback to this solidly researched work is its exclusively British approach, which will limit its appeal to American readers. Students and researchers, however, will find it valuable. Recommended for inclusive and extensive library collections.--Richard K. Burns, MSLS, Hatboro, PA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

Library Journal

The book is full of absorbing information, from the belief that moles can be induced to leave one's garden by writing them a polite note suggesting an alternative residence and placing it in a molehill, to the prohibition against mentioning pigs or pork at sea...A Dictionary of English Fokelore is likely to be a baluable research tool and it is a worthy addition to Oxford's series of Campanions to English Literature.
—Time Literary Supplement

Noel Malcolm

"The authors, esteemed British folklore experts with many publications to their credit, include a broad range of oral genres, calendar customs, festivals, life-cycle customs, and supernatural and superstitious beliefs.... All are provided with dependable information and references, and the many See and See Also citations add considerably to the book's richness as a reference source."—Library Journal

"A unique contribution to the body of work about folklore."—Booklist

"Superb...every time I dip into it I find myself gripped by item after item that I had no intention of reading."—Richard Morrison, The Times [London]

From the Publisher